NAACP promotes proper voter registration

We are learning more about a voter registration organization. The IRS says the New Georgia Project is not registered as a non-profit organization.

The New Georgia Project claims they help people register to vote, but former employees have come forward saying they believe the organization could possibly be collecting people's information for the wrong reasons.

The group is also being investigated in Butts County for issues regarding voter registration.

The president of the Georgia NAACP now wants to set the record straight about how organizations should get people registered to vote.

"Most folks who are registering people to vote are a part of good, accountable groups who hold information in strict compliance with the law," said Francys Johnson, President of Georgia NAACP.

Johnson says part of the NAACP's mission is to get people registered to vote. He said they don't recruit people and send them out in the field blind; they are trained to go door-to-door.

"Any information that is collected in the voter registration process is not retained by our organization," said Johnson. "The individuals can seal up their voter registration information right there or they can mail it in themselves. We always provide that option."

But people who used to work for the New Georgia Project said they never received any type of training and said they were not told to conceal the registration forms.

Former employees went to several Savannah neighborhoods asking people to register to vote. One neighbor said he was a little suspicious when they came to his door.

"It was a little weird, but I really didn't pay that much attention," said Hasaan Williams.

Williams said he went ahead and filled out the form without giving his social security number because he said he had never heard of the group before.

"They should have some kind of supervisor with them to let people know that what they are doing is legit," said Williams.

But the NAACP says questioning one organization should not deter people from getting registered.

"Voter registration is safe in Georgia. It's done every day by organizations who know how to do it and do it well," said Johnson.